“We deplore the joint attack of the air force, the army and the police carried out at dawn on Thursday against a camp of the 29 Front of the FARC in Guapi (Cauca), during which, according to official sources, 26 guerrilla combatants were killed,” the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said in a statement released Friday.
The FARC declared a unilateral cease-fire in late December. In response, President Juan Manuel Santos ordered a suspension of all bombing raids against the guerrillas and their installations.
But the ban on bombing was lifted April 15 following a FARC attack in the town of Buenos Aires in Cauca that killed 11 soldiers and injured 20 others.
“This is a legitimate action by the state in defence and for the protection of the Colombian people,” Santos said Friday. “It is time to accelerate the peace dialogues. How many more deaths must we suffer to understand that the time for peace has arrived.”
Ongoing peace talks in Havana between the two sides since November 2012 have come under criticism in recent months as the guerrilla group has been accused of not keeping its word and violating its own cease-fire.
“I think that the unilateral cease-fire declared by the FARC was in practice a farce and that they were not committed to it as they repeatedly continued their violence against Colombians time and again over recent months,” said Attorney General Alejandro Ordóñez Maldonado, a staunch critic of the talks.
The FARC once again urged Santos to consider a bilateral cease-fire – a move the government opposes out of fear the guerrillas will use the opportunity to re-arm and train combatants as was done during failed peace talks in San Vicente de Caguan between 1999 and 2002.
“Although Santos announces that he will keep the offensive, we insist on the need to agree, as soon as possible, to the health of the peace process and to prevent further victimization, on a bilateral cease-fire, insistently requested by national majorities,” the FARC said in its statement.
A 37th round of peace talks began Thursday in Cuba with government negotiators deploring the continued use of landmines by the guerrillas that killed a 7-year-old school girl earlier this week.
Agreements have been reached on the issues of agrarian reform, political participation and illicit drugs.
www.aa.com.tr
22/5/15
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Colombie: sept guérilleros des Farc tués, Santos veut accélérer les discussions...
ReplyDeleteLe président colombien Juan Manuel Santos s'est dit samedi prêt à accélérer les négociations de paix avec les Farc, après que sept rebelles ont été tués dans des affrontements selon les médias.
"Nous devons prendre des décisions pour arrêter cette guerre le plus tôt possible et je suis prêt à accélérer les négociations pour obtenir ce cessez-le-feu bilatéral et définitif au plus vite", a déclaré le président de centre-droit lors d'une cérémonie de remise de logements à Bogota......rtl.be
At least one police officer was killed and two others injured in an attack by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group, the National Police confirmed Sunday...
ReplyDeleteThe attack on a police patrol happened in the southern city of Tumaco in Narino department.
Police officer Iver Fernando Narvaez died as he was trapped inside the patrol vehicle that caught fire in an explosion, according to media reports.
The two injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment.
Police were hunting the culprits, allegedly members of FARC's Front 29.
The rebel attack came after the Colombian authorities confirmed Saturday that 10 FARC members have been killed in a military operation in the northwestern Antioquia department.
The operation was launched two days after an Air Force aircraft bombed a FARC camp that killed 26 rebels and led to the suspension of a unilateral cease-fire declared by FARC last December.
The cease-fire had raised hopes that peace talks between the rebels and the government in Havana, Cuba, were approaching a breakthrough. But hostilities resumed since FARC killed 11 soldiers in an ambush on April 14...............http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/923375.shtml
EEAS: Statement by the Spokesperson on the recent armed confrontations in Colombia ...
ReplyDelete"The recent violent confrontations between the Colombian armed forces and the FARC risk putting in jeopardy the improvements that the peace negotiations have already brought to the population in conflict-affected areas in Colombia.
It's important that the parties remain committed to continue the negotiations in Havana and not lose the momentum for further progress in the peace talks. Equally, concrete steps must be taken towards a de-escalation of the situation on the ground.
The rapid implementation of the agreement on de-mining announced in March offers a crucial opportunity to demonstrate continued commitment and show to Colombian society how peace can bring concrete benefits. The EU is ready to support this effort and other initiatives to accompany progress towards the implementation of a full peace agreement to the benefit of all Colombians."
http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2015/150527_01_en.htm
27/5/15
Member of Colombian rebel peace team killed in aerial bombing...
ReplyDeleteThe Colombian armed forces' aerial bombing campaign against leftist guerrillas killed a member of the rebel negotiating team who had participated in peace talks being held in Cuba, a guerrilla commander said on Wednesday.
Jairo Martinez, a veteran of two separate peace processes, was one of 27 rebels killed last Thursday in Cauca province, in a raid that led rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to end a five-month unilateral cease-fire....REUTERS
Colombia's Farc rebels have announced a one-month unilateral ceasefire....
ReplyDeleteThe Farc has been taking part in peace talks with the Colombian government since 2012, but violence has increased in recent weeks.
The Farc's chief negotiator at the talks in Cuba, Ivan Marquez, said he hoped the ceasefire, starting on 20 July, could lead to a bilateral truce.
The government welcomed the move but gave no sign it would do likewise and said the rebels needed to do more.
"We appreciate the gesture of a unilateral ceasefire by the Farc but more is needed, especially concrete commitments to speed up the negotiations," President Juan Manuel Santos said on Twitter (in Spanish).
For his part, Mr Marquez said the truce would "create favourable conditions in order to advance with the opposing side toward a bilateral and definitive ceasefire."....BBC
8/7/15